McDowell is accused of forcing his way into his 20-year-old ex-girlfriend's home in suburban Atlanta about 3 a.m., raping her and shooting her 64-year-old father in the head and chest. He then fled with the children in her car, Robinson said.

Blaze in NY suburb claims four children

TEANECK, N.J. - Hours after firefighters responding to a report of smoke in a home's basement found a minor problem with a furnace and returned to their station, flames erupted early Tuesday, killing four children and seriously injuring their mother and a nanny.

The cause of the blaze in this New York City suburb was under investigation.

Two girls, ages 7 and 14, escaped after their mother handed them to a neighbor who had propped a ladder against the burning house, authorities said.

NASA plans news policy on launches, landings

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - NASA said Tuesday it will institute strict crowd control for space shuttle launches and landings, and rely more on a seldom-used touchdown site in New Mexico, to better protect the public once flights resume in a few months.

Columbia's breakup during re-entry forced a re-evaluation of the space agency's public safety policy.

"Philosophically, what we're trying to do ... is to ensure that whatever it is we're doing, does not add significantly to the overall risk that the public already accepts," said Bryan O'Connor, chief of safety and mission assurance and a former shuttle commander.